Wednesday, April 10, 2013

More than cheese in 2013

Marzipan pears at Slow Cheese (Bra, Italy - September, 2011)

It was an incredible week at Slow Cheese, 2011. There was so much to absorb in a short time, I was happy that I had sessions booked and did my research. Still, the Italians are so organised, you could still just show up and have a great time.

First of all, the cheese was amazing. I tasted rare and regional cheeses unlike which I have tasted before or will again until the next time I'm fortunate enough to travel back.The food was absolutely stellar and the wine lists atthe various venues were nothing short of fantastic. These were never concerns going in.. however, the biggest surprises were found in the beer tent, the street food and some other unique artisan food stalls aroundBra.

These marzipan pears (the photo above is of tiny marzipan pears, not real ones) found at the Sicilian products booth are a prime example. I bought a few as a treat for my suocera. Also at this stall were the best cannolu I have ever tasted. Rich with ewe's milk ricotta and bejewelled with the crushed pistachios, I ate one on the spot and bought another for breakfast the following day.

Since Cheese 2013 is coming up, I hope a few retrospective posts can help you decide to book your tickets. If you have any questions or concerns about traveling to the land of Slowfood for all things cheese (and then some), I'd be happy to answer them as best I can.